Aanmitaagzi conducts a wide spectrum of arts projects, events and community engagement activities, from large-scale multi-year explorations and touring productions, to contemporary and traditional arts workshops and public presentations.
Find out more about our past projects and activities below!
MAJOR PROJECTS
Where Does Art Begin?, 2019 – 2020
Where Does Art Begin? is an cross-sectoral inter-arts project of gathering, dreaming and making, providing an opportunity for exploration and transformation through customary harvesting practices, art-making and dance theatre. Read more…
Material Witness, 2016 – 2019
In 2012, Aanmitaagzi and Spiderwoman Theater came together on Nipissing First Nation to begin the creation of Material Witness, a project born out of Spiderwoman’s inaugural 1976 show, Women In Violence. Over the next four years, the company travelled between Nipissing and New York, developing the production as well as the Pulling Threads Fabric Workshop series. Read more…
Serpent People, 2015 – 2018
Grounded in historic Anishinaabe stories of the Black Sturgeon from Nipissing First Nation as told by one of Aanmitaagzi’s founding artists, Perry Mcleod-Shabogeesic, Serpent People gathers, reflects, and expresses stories and imaginings about the human condition. Read more…
Dances of Resistance, 2012 – 2014
Dances of Resistance, a three-year intergenerational community-engaged arts project, was a watershed project for our company, community, and the broader arts milieu. The project had many layered and intersecting components: community-engaged workshops, youth training & mentorship components, capacity building, professional development and cultural reclamation initiatives as well as presentations at numerous special events & festivals. Read more…
Women In Violence II, 2012
“ RE-MIX! RE-LOAD! RE-IMAGINE! WOMEN IN VIOLENCE II” Spiderwoman Theater of New York City and Aanmitaagzi, the Aboriginal multi-disciplinary artist collective from Nipissing First Nation in Ontario, Canada are embarking together on the highly anticipated production of Women in Violence II. Women in Violence II is based on Spiderwoman Theater’s revolutionary and highly successful show, Women in Violence, which premiered in 1976. Read more…
ARTS ACTIVITIES
When Will You Rage?, Mar 2013
Penny Couchie’s newest work, When Will You Rage?, is a 70-minute dance theatre piece featuring four female performers premiering March 9, 2013 at the Capitol Centre in North Bay, ON. Read more…
Spirit at Work: Sid Bobb, Apr 2012
As another avenue of supporting the vitality of arts in the region, Aanmitaagzi supported the work of local artists, Lindsay King and Lindsay Sarazin, in the production of their video work, Spirit At Work. Co-Artistic director participated in the interview, donated the use of Big Medicine Studio and gave access to their archival documentation. Read more…
March Break Program, Mar 2012
Aanmitaagzi partnered with Jumblies Theatre to present a theatre arts exchange program. Jumblies and Aanmitaagzi artists delivered workshops in dance, acting, story-telling, music and shadow theatre for youth and children of Nipissing First Nation and Toronto. Read more…
Tipi Making Workshop, Feb 2012
Aanmitaagzi presented, in partnership with Eva Couchie, a four-day workshop offering participants/community members an opportunity to make their own 23 foot tipis. A total of six tipis were made; creating more spaces for arts and culture to thrive in our communities! Read more…
Like an Old Tale – Jumblies Theatre, Oct 2011
“Over the past three years I had the pleasure and honour of working with an exceptional team of artists, exploring and investigating themes, images and diverging thoughts and ideology and continuing that investigation further with the community members of Scarborough, downtown Toronto and Nipissing First Nation. Read more…
Carrying Forward the Funny Workshop, 2012
Aanmitaagzi, in partnership with Tonto’s Nephews, renowned Aboriginal comedic improv troupe, and the North Bay Indian Friendship, presented a four-day professional development workshop exploring how to carry forward our story telling practices and values through comedic improvisation. Read more…
Arts For All Nipissing, 2011
Aanmitaagzi, in partnership with Jumblies Theatre, delivered a six-day professional development workshop for artists from the Nipissing First Nation/North Bay community. Arts For All Nipissing 2011 was an intensive on the principals, practices and underpinnings of art that engages and creates with community. Read more…
Salon Series, 2010 – 2011
Aanmitaagzi produced a series of four Salons through out the winter of 2010 and spring of 2011. The Salons featured story-telling, visual arts, music, dance / theatre / shadow puppetry / story weaving, and comedic improv. Read more…
Story Weaving, 2010
Aanmitaagzi is committed to continual individual and collective artistic development. Story Weaving 2010 was the premiere project with this aim. As a means of upholding the Aboriginal process and methodology of our masters and deepening our artistic influences, Muriel Miguel of Spiderwoman Theatre delivered a 10 day intensive workshop. Read more…
Temagami Gathering, Jun 2009
Aanmitaagzi partnered with June Twain, Christine Friday O’Leary and Community Arts Ontario (CAO), at CAO’s Temagami Gathering: Inter-generational Story-telling and Memories of the Land. Aanmitaagzi delivered theatre arts workshops for the Bear Island/Temagami First Nation community culminating in a water dance with the youth, co-choreographed by Co-Artistic Director Penny Couchie and Christine. Read more…